ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bass — low music
  3. rash — hasty
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rash — a series
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. capital — a city
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. season — in sport
  15. bass — the fish
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. capital — money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. capital — a big letter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com